Retaining means for coupler carrier



Aug. 11, 1959 E. FURNISS RETAINING MEANS FOR COUPLER'CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1958 Ill/ atin INVENTOR Logzz' 192M flay/J5" ATTORNEY L. E. FURNISS RETAINING MEANS FOR COUPLER CARRIER Aug. 11, 1959 s Sheets-*Shet 2 Filed July 22, 1958 ATTORNEY 8 11, 1959 L. E. kuRm'ss 2,899,083

RETAINING MEANS FOR COUPLER CARRIER Filed July 22, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v 71 66 67 67 M a7 INVENTOR loyzwlkmliflfl ATTORNEY United States aterrt" RETAINING'MEANS FOR COUPLER CARRIER" Loree Elwyn Furniss, Groveport,v Ohio; assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, Ohio Application July 22, 1958, Serial No. 750,185

14 Claims. (Cl. 213-61) The present invention relates to railway draft appli ances and to the supporting means for the draw bar of a railway coupler and the invention more specifically pertains to improvements in means for retaining the re siliently supported carrier member in operative; association with the stem of the coupler and the striker.

The carrier member for a coupler of the interlocking type is of necessity so mounted on the draft appliance that the stem of the coupler may angle vertically and horizontally. The carrier. member on which the coupler stem rests is accordingly spring supported onthe striker casting to permit vertical angling of the coupler. Such an organization of elements is known in the art and a number of differentarrangements have been provided' for limiting upward i movements 1 of I the carrier member with respect-to the striker castinginresponse to action'of'the springs supporting .the carrier member. It is an object of the present invention to: provide improvements in the 1 means forv maintaining the springs supporting: the carrier member in partially compressedcondition'and tolimit up.- ward movements of the. carrier'member relative.v tothe strikerwith the means soidesigned as to reduce frictional.

engagements :of :the: retaining means with the carrier memher: and: associated parts of the. assembly durin'g lateral movementsi of the carriertmemberrrelative to the striker and during .fore and aft rnovements ofthecarrier member with respect'to the. striker:

Anotheriob'ject of :the invention is-to provide an assembly'. which includes a-carriers member and a spring 1 abut= ment 1. member' with springs for supporting the. carrier member compressed between the carrier member and=the spring-r abutment member :including means retaining 'these' elements asan'assembledunitibeforeiit is mounted in the troughstructureprovided at-the forwardlower portiomofitherstriker casting;

The coupler carrier member for interlocking couplers for freight'service and "now in use includes retainer plates rigidly' attach-ed to the striker casting andoverlying outwardly extending 'lu'gs on the carrier member: so as to plates and the'ilugsand-wear of these interengaging elements. Attrition ofthese parts allows the carrier mem-- her to move-upwardly releasing some of-the 'precompressionin the carrierxsupporting springs resulting in support of the stem of the coupler at an'undesired high level;

A further;object'oftheinvention is to provide retaining means for a 1 couplercarrier wherein 'arcuate inter engaging-surfaces are provided on-the parts which fume-- tion like hinges during fore and aft movements ofthe carrier membenwith-respect to the strikeras a-consequence of pull and buff actionof th'e coupler-stem with respect to the 'draft riggingand with the retaining means Substantially all of i such movements involve sliding; frictional contact between the retainer also functioning like hinges during lateral movements of the carrier member'relative to" the striker.

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a lower portion of a striker for accommodating the spring sup'portedcarrier member and retaining means therefor.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on a smaller scale showing the carrier member'and striker in assembledrelationship.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevational view of'the carrier member and the springabutment member with springs therebetween retained as an-assembled unit prior to placing'in the troughof' the striker.

Fig." 5 is a front'elevation of the assembled unit'shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is-abottom plan viewof'the spring abutment member.

Fig; 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified striker showing portions thereof as depicted in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on a smaller scale similar to Fig. 3 showing .modified means for retaining the carrier member in operative association with the striker and stem of a railway coupler.

A' railway draft appliance exhibiting'the invention includes a striker casting and'a carrier member resiliently supported on the striker and on which the coupler stem rests and means serving to limit upward movement of the carriermember with regard to fixed parts of the draft rigging. Thestriker 9 exceptfor the design of'the lower portion of the trough'structure may be of conventional zontally disposed bOltOl'nWfilllSi Inclined surfaces 19" and 21a=re provided at opposite ends of 'the bottom wall 18 as shown in Figall The sidewalls of the striker extend belowthe levelof the draw bar opening 12 and These end walls terminate at 22 and 23to provide an open area at provide endwalls for the trough structure.

each end of'the trough above andoutwardly of an associated end of 'the'bottomwall 18; Walls'16 and '17 of the trough structure are provided with relatively large openings 24 for weight reduction purposes and a smalleropenin'g 26 may be provided 'in the central portion of the front wall 16'. A similar small opening 27 may be provided in the central portion of the rear wall 17 to provide forthe escape of debris from the central lower portions of the trough structure.

A carrier member 28 for the draw bar or stem 14 of a coupler is'best shown in Figs. 3 to 5 and includes a top plate29 which is desirably rectangular shaped in plan. A

front wall 311depends from the plate 29 and a rear wall 32 depends from the plate 29. These depending walls 31 and 32 are substantially parallel and are joined by end walls 33 and '34 which depend from the plate 29. A pocket is thus provided within the carrier member under the plate 29 which'is open at the lower ends-of the'depending' walls.

The undersurface of the plate 29 carries aplurality of spring positioning lugs 361 An important feature of the A trough- The front and rearcarrier member 28 pertains to a structure carried by the lower end portion of each end wall 33 and 34. This structure takes the form of projections which extend outwardly and upwardly to provide hook shaped elements 37 and 38. These hook shaped elements may be formed integral with respect to the end walls of the carrier member. Each hook shaped element is provided with an arcuate upper surface as shown at 39 in Fig. 4.

One embodiment of the assembly includes a spring abutment member 41 formed principally as a plate 42 having a length substantially equal to the dimension between the external surfaces of the end walls 33 and 34 of the carrier member. The plate 42 has a width slightly less than the space between the front and rear walls 16 and 17 of the trough structure. The intermediate portion of undersurface of the plate 42 is in one plane and is adapted to engage and rest on the upper surface of the bottom wall 18 of the trough structure as shown in Fig. 3. Lugs 43 and 44 depend from the ends of the plate 42. The lugs 43 is provided with inclined surface 46 which is adapted to lie along the inclined surface 19 on the end of the bottom wall 18. An inclined surface 47 on the lug 44 is designed to lie along the inclined surface 21 on the other end of the bottom wall 18. A plurality of spring positioning lugs 48 project upwardly from the top surface of the plate 42.

The ends of the spring abutment member 41 carry novel elements forming parts of the means for retaining the carrier member 28 in association with its supporting springs and for limiting movement of the carrier member away from the spring abutment member. A triangular shaped web 51 extends upwardly from one end of the plate 42. An arm 52 extends horizontally outward from the upper end of the web 51. A similar triangular shaped web 53 extends upwardly from the other end of the plate 42. An arm 54 extends horizontally outward from the upper end of the web 53. Each of the arms 52 and 54 have an arcuate undersurface as shown at 55 in Figs. 4 and 6. A bar 56 is carried by the outer end of the arm 52 and a bar 57 carried by the outer end of the arm 54 and the purpose of these bars will be more fully appreciated as the present disclosure proceeds.

One advantageous feature of the structure hereinabove described is that the carrier member 28 and the spring abutment member 41 may be assembled with the carrier supporting springs 58 therebetween and the unit as thus assembled may thereafter be placed in the trough structure forming a portion of the striker casting. The lower ends of the springs 58 are applied over the spring positionlng lugs 48 with these ends of the springs in engagement with the upper surface of the plate 42. The carrier member 28 may then be applied over the upper ends of the springs 58. The upper ends of the springs are accommodated within the pocket provided by the side and end walls of the carrier member 28 and the upper ends of the spr ngs engage the undersurface of the plate 29 and are maintained in spaced relationship by the spring positioning lugs 36. A force may then be applied to provide relative movement of the carrier member towards the spring abutment member to compress the springs 58.

While the springs are in the compressed condition two retainer loops or links 61 and 62 are applied. These retamer loops are of elongated shape. The retainer loop 61 rs first disposed in a horizontal position so it may pass over the projecting ends of the bar 56. Thereafter the loop 61 is turned about the arm 52 so that its major dimension is in a vertical position. The upper end of the loop 61 is then swung over the hook shaped element 37 to the position shown in Fig. 5. The loop 62 is applied 1n a similar manner by arranging it with its major dimension m a horizontal position so that it may pass over the pro ecting ends of the bar 57. Thereafter the loop 62 is swung with its major dimension to a vertical position. The upper end of the loop 62 is then in a position to be engaged over the hook shaped element 38., The force maintaining the springs 58 under compression may then be released so that there isrelative movement of the carrier member 28 away from the spring abutment member 41. The upper closed ends of the loops or links 61 and 62 engage the arcuate surfaces 39 of the hook shaped elements 37 and 38. The closed lower ends of the loops 61 and 62 engage the arcuate undersurfaces 55 on the arms 52 and 54. The loops 61 and 62 are of such length so as to maintain a predetermined compression of the springs 58 and accordingly serve to limit movement of the carrier member 28 away from the spring abutment member 41.

The assembled unit may then be placed in the trough structure carried by the striker 9 to occupy a position as shown in Fig. 3 with the underface of the plate 42 resting on the upper surface of the bottom wall 18. The lugs 43 and 44 depend below the upper surface of the bottom wall 18 and the inclined surfaces 46 and 47 on these lugs lie along the inclined surfaces 19 and 21 to prevent lateral shifting of the spring abutment member 41 relative to the striker casting 9. The front and rear walls 16 and 17 prevent forward and rear shifting of the spring abutment member relative to the striker. It will be appreciated that the carrier member 28 may thus be placed in the trough of the striker and in operative relationship with draft appliance without the necessity of employing auxiliary retaining devices to maintain the carrier member in a depressed position while abutment plates are mounted on the striker to limit upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker casting.

The combination of elements shown in Fig. 3 provides an assembly which makes it possible to apply shims between the spring abutment member 41 and the bottom wall 18 of the striker casting when it is desired to support the stem 14 of the coupler at a higher level. The loops or links 61 and 62 swing like hinges during horizontal angling of the stem 14 as the carrier member 28 moves laterally within the clearance provided by the opening 12 in the striker casting. Such lateral movements of the carrier member 28 produces rolling action of the arcuate surfaces 39 where the hook shaped elements 37 and 38 engage the upper closed ends of the loops or links 61 and 62. Similar rolling action takes place where the arcuate undersurfaces 55 of the arms 52 and 54 engage the closed lower ends of the retainer loops 61 and 62. There is forward movement of the stem 14 relative to the draft appliance as a consequence of the application of pulling forces to the coupler and there is rearward movement of the stem 14 with respect to the draft appliance upon the application of bufling force to the coupler. During such movements the coupler stern tends to roll the carrier member 28 about a horizontal axis transversely of the draft appliance and such rolling movement is permitted by the arcuate surfaces 39 on the hook shaped elements 37 and 38 where they contact the retainer loops. Any angling of the lower ends of the retainer loops 61 and 62 develops rolling movement about the undersurfaces 55 on the arms 52 and 54 where they engage the closed lower ends of the loops.

A modification is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 wherein the carrier member 28 and the retainer loops or links 61 and 62 have characteristic like those hereinabove described. The striker as shown in Fig. 7 has a modified bottom wall 66 which forms the spring abutment member. A plurality of spring positioning lugs 67 project upwardly from the bottom wall 66. A web 68 extends upwardly from one end of the bottom wall 66. An arm 69 extends horizontally outwardly from the upper end of the web 68. A web 71 extends upwardly from the other end of the bottom wall 66. An arm 72 extends horizontally outwardly from the upper end of the web 71. The arms 69 and 72 each have an arcuate undersurface thereon as indicated at 73 in Fig. 7.

In assembling these parts the springs 58 are arranged within the t r9,ugh structure so that the lower ends there- 5, of, are arranged over the spring positioning lugs 67. The retaining loop 61 is applied over the hook shaped element37 'andthe. retaining loop 62' is applied over the hook shapedelement 38' with the lower ends of the loops depending from the carrier member 28. This assembly is th'eniarranged over the upper ends of the springs 58 with these springs engaging the undersurface of theplate, 29 about the spring positioning. lugs.36. With the lower ends of the retainer loops 61 and 62 held outwardly force is applied to the carrier member 28 to move. it downwardly relative to the striker casting so as to compress the springs .58 to such an extent that the lower ends of the loops 61 and 62 may be applied re:

spectively under the arms 69 and 72. Thereafter the force maintaining the carrier member in the lowered position may'be released and the loops 61 and 62 will maintainthe springs 58. under compression and limit upward movement of the carrier member 28 with respect to the striker. Bolts or cotter keys 74 may be applied through openings 76 in the front and rear walls 16and17 of the trough structure to prevent the retaining. loops from inadvertent disengagement with the arms 69 and 72.

The assembly shown in Fig. 7 also provides for a reduction in wear of the retaining means in service be cause of'the arcuate surfaces of the retainer loops 61' and.62 in their engagement with the hook shaped elementson the carrier member and the arms on the striker. These arcuate surfaces are so disposed as to provide for hinge action during lateral shifting of the carrier member with respect to the striker and during fore and aft movements of the carrier member relative to thestn'kerduring the application of pulling and bufiing forces tothe draw bar and its consequent movements relative to the .draft rigging.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural features and with regard to assemblies of acarrier member of one type in association with particular types of striker castings it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the structural characteristics of the elements and in the overall organization. Any type of resilient or spring means may be employed for supporting the carrier member relative to the striker castings. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a support for the stem of a railway coupler, a striker, a carrier member, resilient means supporting said carrier member on the striker, walls guiding said carrier member for generally vertical movements relative to the striker, a hook shaped element carried by each end of the carrier member, means carried by the striker in abutting relation with lower ends of said resilient means, a web extending upwardly from each end of said means, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each web, a link extending over one of said hook shaped elements and under one of said horizontally disposed arms, a link extending over the other of said hook shaped elements and under the other of said horizontally disposed arms, and said links being of such length as to retain said resilient means under compression.

2. In a support for the stem of a railway coupler, a striker, a carrier member, means resiliently supporting said carrier member on the striker, walls guiding said carrier member for generally vertical movements relative to the striker, a hook shaped element carried by each end of the carrier member, means carried by the striker in abutting relation to the lower ends of said resilient means, a web extending upwardly from each end of said means, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each web, a link extending over one of said hook shaped elements and under one of said horizontally disposed arms, a link extending over the other of said hook shaped elements and under the other of saidhorizontally disposed arms, said links being of.

such length as to retain said resilient meansunder compression, andimeans arranged transversely. of each arm preventing detachment of, the links from said arms.

3. ln a support for the stem of -a.railway coupler according to claim 2 wherein the-means preventing detachment of thelinks consists of abar carried 'by'the free end of each arm and arranged transversely thereof.

4. In a support forthestem of a, railway coupler. according-to claim 2 wherein the means preventing detachment of the links comprises-pins-carried by the striker.

5. A retainingassembly for the, carrier member of a railway, draft. appliance comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried ,by a lower. forward portion of. the strikerv having frontand rear walls, a'carrier, member including. a generally hoizontal platewith walls depending therefrom into said troughstructure, resilientmeans engagingan undersurface of saidplate, means carried by a lower portionof said troughstructure supporting said resilient means, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped. element carried by each end of the carrier member, an outwardly extending generally horizontally disposed arm carried by each end-of said means, two elongated closed loops with each extending over one hook shaped element and under one of said horizontally disposed armslimiting; upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker, andmeans for maintaining said loops under said horizontally disposed arms.

6. A retaining assembly for the carrier memberof a railway draft appliance according to claim 5 wherein the means maintainingthe loops under the respective arms takes the form of pins extendingthrough openings in the front and rear walls of the trough structure.

7. A mechanism for limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having front and rear walls, a carrier member including a generally horizontally disposed plate with front and rear and'endwalls depending therefrom into said trough structure, spring means engaging an'undersurface of said plate, means carried by a lower'portion of said trough structure supporting said spring means, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped element carried by a lower portion of each of said end walls of the carrier member, a web extending upwardly from each end of said means, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each web, two elongated closed loops with each extending over one hook shaped element and extending under one of said horizontally disposed arms limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker, and arcuate interengaging surfaces on the hook shaped elements and the loops.

8. A mechanism for limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having front and rear walls, a carrier member including a generally horizontally disposed plate with front and rear and end walls depending therefrom into said trough structure, resilient means engaging an undersurface of said plate, means carried by a lower portion of said trough structure supporting said resilient means, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped element carried by a lower portion of each end wall of the carrier member, a web extending upwardly from each end of said means, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each web, two elongated closed loops with each extending over one hook shaped element and extending under one of said horizontally disposed arms limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker, arcuate interengaging surfaces on the hook shaped elements and the loops, and arcuate interengaging surfaces on said horizontally disposed arms and said loops.

9. A mechanism for limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance comprising,

a striker, a troughstructure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having front and rear walls, a carrier member including a generally horizontally disposed plate with front and rear and end walls depending therefrom into said trough structure, resilient means engaging an undersurface of said plate, means carried by a lower portion of said trough structure supporting said resilient means, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped element carried by a lower portion of each end wall of the carrier member, a web extending upwardly from each end of said means, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each web, two elongated closed' loops with each extending over one hook shaped element and extending under one of said horizontally disposed arms limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to the striker, arcuate interengaging surfaces on the hook shaped elements, arcuate interengaging surfaces on said horizontally disposed arms and said loops, and means maintaining lower ends of the loops under the respective arms.

10. An assembly for limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having a generally horizontal bottom wall, a carrier member including a generally horizontally disposed plate with front and rear and end walls depending therefrom into said trough structure, a spring abutment member within said trough structure supported on said bottom wall, spring means engaging an undersurface of said plate and an upper surface of said spring abutment member, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped element carried by each end wall of the carrier member, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each end of said spring abutment member, two elongated closed links with each extending over one hook shaped element and under an associated arm on the spring abutment member limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to said spring abutment member.

11. An assembly for limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance according to claim 10 including arcuate interengaging surfaces on the hook shaped elements and the links and arcuate interengaging surfaces on 'said,' arms and said'links.

12. An assembly for limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance comprising, a striker, a trough structure carried by a lower forward portion of the striker having a generally horizontal bottom wall, a carrier member including a generally horizontally'disposed plate with front and rear and end walls depending therefrom into said trough structure, spring means engaging an undersurface of said plate and an upper surface of said bottom wall, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped element carried by each end wall of the carrier member, a horizontally disposed arm extending outwardly from each end of said bottom wall, two elongated closed loops with each extending over one hook shaped element and under an associated arm limiting upward movement of the carrier member with respect to said bottom wall.

13. A carrier member for supporting the coupler stem in a railway draft appliance comprising, a generally rectangular shaped plate, front and rear walls depending from said plate, end walls depending from said plate and joining said front and rear walls, an outwardly and upwardly extending hook shaped element carried by the lower portion of each end wall, and an upward facing convex surface on each hook shaped element adjacent the associated end wall.

14. A spring abutment member for an assembly limiting upward movement of the carrier member of a railway draft appliance comprising, a plate having aplane undersurface throughout the central portion thereof, a'

lug depending from each end of the plate and terminating below said undersurface, a web extending upward from each end of said plate, an outwardly extending arm carried by the outer end of each web, and each arm having a downwardly facing convex surface thereon.

No references cited. 

